Ignite

Chapter Nine - Surprise!

           

Maya was back a lot quicker than I had anticipated. Jamie followed in after her as she entered the room.

'What on Earth...' Jamie muttered.

Audrey, Ava and the boys crowded around me, still unable to move, curled up tightly on my side. The nosebleed had stopped, but the pain still fired through my body. Two other staff members carried a stretcher towards me and gently lifted me onto it.

'What happened here?' Jamie asked.

'We're not sure.' Elijah said. 'Maya found Harper first. She was lying in a pool of her blood.'

'Who – What happened to the hand dryer?'

'Again, we don't know.'

One of the nurses injected a needle into my arm. Almost immediately, I passed out.

I woke up in what I assumed to be the sickbay, though, I don't assume anything anymore, not after St Marlo's.

Anyway, the common mint green-y-blue hospital colours were painted on the walls. The room smelled like medicine. There were multiple empty gurneys along the walls. White rimmed windows showed the exotic forest outside. A doctor was busying himself with various medicines and remedies.

As I propped myself up on my bed, I winced. The large gash along my waist had reopened. It was wrapped with a blood-stained bandage clipped in place with a safety pin. The doctor turned to face me and smiled gently.

'Hello.' He said warmly. 'I'm Dr Ammons. I see that you're awake. Here.' He handed me a green liquid in a mug that looked like someone had blended celery and mould together. For all I knew, that's what it was. 'This should help. Your friends are waiting outside. I'll call them in.'

Dr Ammons left the room. It took a sip of the liquid that he handed me. It tasted like someone had squeezed pure lemons into a cup and garnished it with dirt, which basically confirmed my mould and celery theory.

My friends entered the room. I thought that it was nice of them to be so protective of me, considering that I have only been here two days.

'How are you feeling?' Audrey asked.

'Fine.' I drank more of the liquid, not that I wanted to, I just wanted to show the doctor that I was grateful. 'Some second day, huh?'

'So, what actually happened in there?' Olly asked.

'I have a more important question.' I said. 'Why were you and Elijah in the girl's bathroom? Isn't there a law, or something, about that?'

My friends smiled broadly.

'That's going to haunt us forever, isn't it?' Elijah joked.

'Sure is.' Maya said.

'But, really,' Audrey said, 'what happened?'

'Scarlett Romero happened.' I replied.

The girls looked at me with dismay. The boys were already cracking their knuckles for revenge.

'What did she do?' Ava asked. I started at her for a moment, wondering if she thought that she could open up to our friend group and actually talk. Everyone else stared at her too, even the doctor.

'Um, she was a bit angry with me.' I began. 'She threatened me and punched me. I got a bit angry and exploded the hand dryer. They got scared and ran away. Then I collapsed.'

'Wait, wait, wait.' Elijah held out his hands to signal stop. 'You can do that?'

'Yeah,' Olly confirmed, 'I've seen her do it.'

'No, you haven't.' I said.

'Well,' Olly protested, 'I saw you conjure fire, and the aftermath of you crying fire.'

'True.'

Olly and I seemed okay with the situation. The others were still trying to process the whole conjuring fire thing. I don't blame them, I used to feel that way too.

'In all of history, not a single Premian had the ability to conjure or even control fire.' Audrey said, astounded.

I looked at Olly like, really? He nodded his head. That made sense. No wonder Scarlett was upset, she was jealous. I guess that was the same with everyone else, too. That doesn't make me very likeable, at least I have my group.

Dr Ammons came over while my friends were temporarily paralysed with shock.

'Harper,' he said, 'if you would like, you can return to your dormitory. I can arrange a change of roommates so then you won't have to deal with Miss Romero.'

'Thank you, Dr Ammons.' I said. 'I would appreciate that.' I clapped in front of my friend's faces and they jolted awake. 'I can leave now, guys.'

'Right.' Maya said, still dazed. 'Right, um, yeah. Okay, let's go back.'

From the sickbay, we walked to our dormitories. The girls number 23, the boy's number 19.

'Is it possible for us to all be in the same dormitory?' I asked. 'Can boys be in the same dorm as girls? You guys can replace Scarlett.'

'I don't know.' Olly said. 'No one else has anyone of a different gender in their dorms.'

'I guess that that's a no, then.' I said.

'Oh well,' Audrey said, 'worth a try.'

'See you guys later.' Maya said.

We turned to our dorm and walked in. The room looked just how we left it. Clothes, books and bed sheets everywhere. I hobbled over to my bed and flung myself on the mattress. I couldn't be bothered to change into the facilities pyjamas that they provided for me.

'Well,' I said, 'that was an eventful day.'

'No kidding.' Maya replied. 'You never told us about your powers.'

'You never asked.'

'I know,' Maya said, 'but fire?'

'I honestly didn't know it was that important.' I protested.

'I've read a bunch of books about Premians.' Audrey began, playing with her long, blonde hair. 'There has never been a Premian that can conjure an element.'

'But, Ava – 'I started.

'Ava can only control plants, she can't grow them out of the ground. That's not her only power anyway, so it's not that strong.' Audrey turned to Ava. 'Sorry, if I offended you.' Ava waved away the comment.

'I'd rather not talk about this anymore.' I said.

'Oh,' Maya said, she was obviously intrigued in the conversation, 'okay. Sorry, Harper.'

'It'sokay.' I spread myself on the mattress and stared at the bottom of the topbunk, thinking hard to myself and slowly drifting off to sleep.//www'@